


Promise Me

by Khylara



Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: M/M, Peterick, Post-Hiatus (Fall Out Boy)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:00:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22154431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khylara/pseuds/Khylara
Summary: Pete is in a pretty dark place. Patrick guides him through.
Relationships: Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	Promise Me

Patrick woke up to the familiar sound of a pen scratching against notebook paper. He smiled; Pete writing meant that everything was okay.

 _Although it's a little early,_ he mused as he peered out from under the covers. Barely dawn by his guess. He yawned and rubbed his eyes; it was definitely too early to even think about getting up.

"Sorry I woke you."

He turned to look at Pete. The bassist was sitting up next to him, his hair going every which way and a pen dangling from his fingers. "You didn't. I heard you writing." He leaned up for a kiss. "Morning."

Barely." He checked the clock on the wall. "It's just after five."

Patrick groaned; definitely too early. "You okay?" When they weren't touring, Pete had a tendency to sleep in. For him to be awake now...

Pete shook his head. "I'm fine. Too much up here." He tapped the side of his head for emphasis. "Had to get rid of some of it before it got lost or I imploded. You know?"

Patrick definitely knew. "Wake me when it's a more civilized hour," he instructed. "We'll do something."

"Quiet day, remember? Joe and Andy are coming by later for dinner and a music session. We have the Chicago show to rehearse for." He brushed a hand through his lover's bright red hair. Go back to sleep, baby. I'm gonna go get some coffee."

"Mmm...bring me back some of those...those almond things," Patrick mumbled as he buried his nose back under the covers. "From the bakery? The twists? Like those..."

Pete chuckled. "Me, too. You got it." He bent down to brush a kiss over Patrick's temple. "I'll be back."

"Careful." Patrick clutched at his fingers. "Careful. Okay?"

"I will." Pete slipped out of bed as Patrick began to snore. _Sweet baby,_ he thought fondly as he grabbed his shoes and went into the bathroom to finish getting dressed.

*****

It was after ten when Patrick finally came downstairs, freshly showered and folding up the sleeves of his favorite denim shirt. "You didn't come back," he accused with a smile when he saw Pete sitting at the kitchen table.

"I know better than to wake you up after you go back to sleep," Pete said as he pushed over a bakery bag sitting by his elbow. "Coffee's fresh."

"Thanks." Fishing out a twist, he took a bite. "Mmm. Did you get yourself one?"

"I already had two. And there's another half dozen on the counter." He indicated the white baker's box sitting on the counter by the coffee machine. "I know you. You don't share."

"Not these. They're too good." Pulling down a coffee cup, he poured himself one. "Should I ask now much you've had?" he asked, indicating Pete's.

"Probably not. You wouldn't like the answer." He looked up. "The notebook I had upstairs...did you read it?"

"Not yet." Pete didn't like people reading anything he wrote before he deemed it fit for public consumption; Patrick had learned that the hard way too many years ago to count. "I know you've been working on things."

"Too many things," Pete remarked, grimacing a little. Things had been busy for the pair of them over the last few weeks with TV appearances, rehearsals and all sorts of activities and obligations. "You've been awfully patient with me."

"You'll show me when you're ready," Patrick said as he sat down next to him.

"You can read it." Pete said. "I want you to." He looked at his coffee cup, avoiding Patrick's eyes. "I want to know what you think."

Patrick caught the look. "Love, are you all right?" he asked. Pete hadn't acted like this for quite awhile. Not since...

"It's nothing, Pattycakes. I'm fine." Pete gave the singer a reassuring smile. "Just...read it and tell me what you think." There was a pause. "It's important."

"Okay. Sure." Finishing his twist, he picked up his cup. "Okay if I read it now?"

Pete nodded. "Definitely okay." He paused. "And don't read too much into what it's about. I swear to you, everything's okay."

Patrick's worry grew. "Okay, I'll try not to." He leaned in for another kiss. "I'll be back."

"I'll be here." Pete pulled out his phone as Patrick left the kitchen and headed back upstairs. 

He found the familiar spiral notebook on the bedside table. Picking it up, he flipped it open and smiled at the sight of his lover's messy scrawl. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he took a sip of his coffee as he began to read.

Ten minutes later, he was swiping at his eyes, trying not to cry as the notebook fell out of his hands and onto the floor. So much pain and heartache in those words; what had driven Pete to write them?

 _He's not okay,_ Patrick thought as he picked it back up to read it again. _He's definitely not okay. Oh, my Pete..._

He had to find out what was going on.

Going back downstairs, he found Pete out on the back porch, waiching the birds as they darted in and out of the bushes. Sitting down next to him, he put his head on the bassist's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"No need for you to be," was the quiet reply. "It was just...stuff I had to get out. You know?"

Patrick did know. He had his own ways of coping when things got to be too much. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Had to work it out on my own. Put on my big boy clothes, so to speak," he said with a shrug. "And I told you. I'm fine."

Patrick shook his head, a stubborn set to his jaw. "That wasn't fine."

He sighed. "It's as well as things can be for now then. And I promise to tell you if things change." He turned to look at Patrick, who was now huddled up against him. "Okay?"

Patrick sighed; he knew better than to push. "Okay." he was silent for a moment. "It's just...I don't like reading stuff like that from you. It reminds me too much of how you were before." He paused. "I missed all the signs then and I'm not going to miss them now."

"You won't. You always have my back," Pete said with a smile. "Just like I always have yours."

"Definitely." They shared a kiss.

They sat like that for several minutes more before Pete got up and dusted off the seat of his jeans. "We should get ready for Joe and Andy. They'll be here soon."

Patrick looked up. What do you want me to do with the notebook?"

"Keep it to yourself for awhile?" Pete asked. "I know it's a lot to ask but I still have some stuff I have to work through."

"Of course. Not until you say," Patrick promised. He took Pete's hand in his. "You know I love you."

"I love you, too." Giving Patrick another kiss, Pete went inside. 

Patrick watched him go. _Give him some space,_ he told himself over and over. _He'll be okay. You just have to keep an eye on him, that's all._ Squaring his shoulders, he got up and followed Pete inside.

*****

"Is Pete okay?" Andy asked later while they were in the kitchen waiting for the pizza to arrive.

Patrick glanced into the living room. Joe and Pete were on the couch trading stories back and forth and laughing so hard that Patrick was sure their neighbors would be calling in a noise violation. "Why do you ask?" he asked as he pulled out a bottle of water and handed it over.

"He's been in a weird mood all day, that's why," Andy said as he cracked it open and took a sip. "And so have you, to be honest. What's wrong?"

Patrick shook his head as he turned on the water for tea. "It's okay. He's just...going through some stuff," he hedged. "I'm getting him through it."

Andy raised an eyebrow. "And whose getting you through it?" he asked pointedly.

Patrick forced a smile. "I'm okay, Andy. I'll work through it. You know how Pete gets."

"I do know. That's why I'm asking," Andy said. 

"He's a lot better than he was," Patrick said as he pulled out two bottle of orange juice next. "Sleeps through the night and everything." He paused. "He's just worried about the show at Wrigley, that's all. Hometown crowd."

"We all are. That's why I'm asking if you need help," the drummer said as he leaned against the counter. "We're all a little wired right now."

"I know. That's why I'm not worried," Patrick looked up and smiled. "It's okay, Andy. Really. And if it isn't, I'll take care of it. Okay?"

Finally, Andy nodded. "Okay. Your call." He surveyed the juice bottles as Patrick poured water and honey into his cup. "Want me to grab those?"

"One's for Joe," Patrick said as he picked the other one up. Together they went into the living room.

Patrick handed the bottle over to Pete who made a face. "No more coffee. You're on your sixth cup as it is," he said as he sat back down.

Pete eyed the cup in his hands. "And that's your fourth cup of tea."

"My tea isn't capable of jumpstarting third world nations," Patrick replied tartly. "No more. Okay?"

"Depends," Pete drawled as he put his head on Patrick's shoulder and gave him a sideways glance. "Are you gonna make it worth my while?"

Patrick smiled. "Depends. Are you going to be a good boy for the rest of the night?"

Joe practically choked on his orange juice. "Things I don't need to know," he pronounced as Andy smirked next to him.

"I'm always good, Pattycakes," Pete said. "Sometimes I'm even spectacular."

"And sometimes you're full of it," Andy remarked, making them all laugh in the process.

Patrick took the opportunity to lean close to Pete, pressing himself against his body from ankle to shoulders. _He's okay,_ he kept telling himself over and over. _He's fine._

*****

Much later, Pete gave Joe and Andy a final wave before shutting the front door. He leaned against it, sighing. "I really do love our friends," he commented. "But why did we invite them over again?"

"Right now? I have no idea." Patrick went into Pete's outstretched arms. "And Joe ate all of my twists."

"That explains the sugar rush he's been on for the last hour," Pete commented as he planted a kiss in Patrick's hair. "I'll get you some more tomorrow."

"Thank you." He paused. "You okay?"

"Still here," Pete said, resting his cheek against Patrick's hair. "What about you?'

Patrick looked up. "Andy say something?"

"Andy said something," Pete said, nodding. He paused. "Baby, you'd tell me if I got too much for you, wouldn't you?"

Of course I would. And you never are. Not even when you're working on your ninth cup of coffee." They shared a smile. "It's just...I know you've had a lot on your mind lately. And I want to help if I can."

"You do. Every day. I don't know what I'd do if you didn't." He tightened his hold around Patrick's waist. "You mean everything to me."

"And you mean everything to me. You always have." He closed his eyes and smothered a yawn with the back of his hand. "God, I'm tired."

"Come on, baby," Pete said as he began leading him toward the stairs. "Time to tuck you in."

"But I promised you we'd do something," Patrick said as they went upstairs, shutting off lights as they did so. "Was kinda looking forward to it."

"We're both too tired to do anything fun justice, babe," Pete said as they went into the bedroom and shut the door. Sitting them both down on the bed, Pele slipped off Patrick's glasses and put them aside. "Tomorrow, okay?"

Patrick yawned again. "Mmm...okay." He snuggled close. "Promise me somethng?"

Pete brushed a kiss against Patrick's forehead. "Anything."

"Promise me that no matter what happens, you won't leave me." He looked up, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Promise me you'll stay."

"Is that what's been wrong with you all afternoon?" Pete asked, a look of horror on his face. "Patrick..."

"Please," Patrick begged. "Just...just don't go. Whatever you need from me, I'll do willingly." He clutched at Pete's shirt. "Just please don't go and leave me alone."

"Patrick, baby...it's okay. I'm not going anywhere, I swear. I love you." Pete said in an attempt to soothe, to comfort. "I'm sorry I scared you. You know how the inside of my head gets. It's pretty vile on a good day."

"Don't say that. Ever. You're a good man, Pete. The best ever." Patrick clung to him. "I just don't want to lose you. Not to this."

"You won't, baby. Not ever. I promise." He held Patrick close. "I'll always be right here."

Neither one of them got any sleep that night, too intent on comforting one another to get any type of rest. But it was what they both needed and they were together. In the end, That was all that mattered. 


End file.
